<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4134.100" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My experience with sand paper was that = 150 grit was tight. 120 was too tight. 180 was good. 220 was loose. At 60 grit you're = driving some serious rocks into the hole. No wonder it became a tip removal = tool. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Keith R</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mathstar@salemnet.com = href="mailto:mathstar@salemnet.com">Alan R. Barnard</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 23, = 2002 2:40 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Weird tuning pin experience</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Talked here before about the = Chickering "Quarter Grand" I'm am trying to keep alive for a client... pinblock = replacement not a reasonable, affordable option.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Pins are only about 20-25 in. = lbs. torque.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tunes okay, doesn't hold. Has DC = installed 4 mos. ago.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Pulled pin and found it is a 3/0. = Judging from the piano's history, strings' appearance and the pin size, I think = this was restrung about 16 years ago by a piano store. If so, the pinblock was = probably already showing its age then -- maybe they didn't want to jump to 4/0 = for fear of making cracks worse.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Used #60 sandpaper shim, drove the = pin partway in but stopped because it seemed EXTRAORDINARILY tight. Tried to = back it out with tuning hammer--got a tuning head off that's been a permanent = feature of the hammer for 3 years--but could not budge the pin! </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Finally used a ratchet wrench with = the tip off my torque wrench and removed the pin with considerable effort. Replaced = it with a 2/0 (sandpaper still in place) and drove it in. It now has about 75 = lbs of holding torque.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oh what a difference 0.004" can make. = (Yes, I measured the pins.)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now ... if we want to shim other = pins, do I have to get a set of 2/0's or look for a thinner sandpaper? Try the veneer = option? Take the piano off life-support? Set fire to it? </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Customer asked another funny = question:"If I decide to sell it, what's it worth?" Well, the case is beautiful, it = sounds okay (if tuned maybe 4 times a year, that is). I shaped the hammers = and regulated the action--it's not perfect but plays quite nicely. = Backchecks need new skins and regulating.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So I gave him the old "whatever the = buyer is willing to pay and you are willing to accept" answer. But that seems = like a rotten answer as it gives him no clue for a starting point. Well, I = don't have much experience to help him, either.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ANYONE?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Performing CPR (Critical Piano = Repairs) in Salem, MO</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial = size=2></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>